Akbar Ali for fresh polls

Staff Reporter :Former adviser to caretaker government Dr. Akbar Ali Khan describing the just concluded 10th national elections ‘legal’ on constitutional basis, demanded fresh polls immediately to protect the country’s democracy. He made the demand addressing a mock parliamentary debate, jointly organised by ATN Bangla and Debate for Democracy in the capital’sBashundhara City Complex on Friday.”The January 5 election has constitutional basis, but no moral basis required to fulfill the purposes of holding a free, fair and transparent elections following the constitution,” he said.Dr. Khan called upon the ruling Awami League and BNP to hold talks for reaching a consensus on holding a fresh election as soon as possible to resolve the ongoing political crisis.The 10th parliamentary election is a ‘rare’ incident in the world’s history of democratic ruling system, he observed. Citing the winning of 153 candidates uncontested in the elections, the former adviser to caretaker government said democracy cannot be upheld and strengthened in this way.